Cioccolata Cheesecake

This is the Italian cousin of the dense New York slab. Whole-milk ricotta replaces cream cheese, which means the texture lands somewhere between a baked custard and a ricotta tart: tangy, faintly grainy in the best way, and not nearly as sweet as you’d expect from something this chocolatey.

There’s no crust to fuss with. The whole batter goes straight into a buttered springform, baked hot to set the edges, then dropped to a low heat to finish without cracking.

A splash of rum sharpens the cocoa so the chocolate reads as grown-up bitter, not candy bar sweet. Cool it completely before slicing or the center will weep, then dust the top with powdered sugar right before serving for a stark snowfall over the dark surface.

Pro Tips

• Drain the ricotta in a fine sieve for an hour if it looks watery. Excess whey is the difference between sliceable and sloppy.
• Beat the eggs in last and only until just combined. Overwhipping pulls in air, which causes a domed top and a sunken middle as it cools.
• The two-stage bake (hot start, low finish) sets a deeper crust without curdling the eggs. Don’t shortcut it.
• Run a thin knife around the edge as soon as it leaves the oven. The cake shrinks as it cools and a stuck edge is what cracks the top.
• Chill overnight if you can wait. The flavor deepens and slices come out clean.

Variations

• Swap the rum for amaretto or Frangelico to layer in almond or hazelnut notes.
• Fold ¼ cup mini chocolate chips into the batter for pockets of melty chocolate.
• Top with a thin smear of chocolate ganache instead of powdered sugar for a glossier finish.